Do you know that sometimes your dog attempts to calm you? Let’s see if this scenario sounds familiar. For one reason or another, you are not in your best mood. You call your dog and expect the dog to come to you. Instead, your usually well behaved dog turns to the side or even turns its back to you. Of course, you might think that this is the last thing you need. It makes a bad day worse. However, what you may be seeing is a gesture of kindness and caring for you. The problem is that you do not understand canine body language and may miss the communication.

If you are upset, the dog knows it. The dog reads your body language and knows. Even if you are not aware of the signals that you are sending, the dog knows. Through your body language, tone of voice, scent, or a combination of these and other factors, your dog knows when you are not in good humour. What is actually happening, when the dog does not come and turns away from you, is a message. The dog is asking you, in a polite canine way, to calm down. The dog is trying to neutralize the situation. It is not an act of defiance or an attempt, on the dog’s part, to make your day worse.

Now, the question is ‘will this ruin the obedience training with the dog?’. - It seems far better to heed the dog and indeed recognize that you are upset. Take a moment and see if the dog is not absolutely correct. Don’t be upset with the dog. Your dog was simply polite and communicating with you. Read the dog. Your dog doesn’t like you to be upset - and turning away is a kind and loving gesture extended to you. Don’t worry about the missed recall. You have a wonderfully attentive, sensitive dog there. Perhaps a ‘thank you’ to your best friend is appropriate.

Catherine Forsythe

[tag]dog, calm, communication, recall, body language, kindness, sensitivity[/tag]